Choerophryne fafniri
Species of frog
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Choerophryne fafniri is a species of frog in the family Microhylidae.[1][2] It is endemic to Papua New Guinea and is only known from the north-western slopes of Mount Giluwe and south-east of Mount Hagen in the Southern Highlands Province.[1]
| Choerophryne fafniri | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Anura |
| Family: | Microhylidae |
| Genus: | Choerophryne |
| Species: | C. fafniri |
| Binomial name | |
| Choerophryne fafniri (Menzies, 1999) | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
|
Albericus fafniri Menzies, 1999[3] | |
Etymology
This species was originally described in the genus Albericus,[3] named for Alberich, the dwarf in Scandinavian mythology and Richard Wagner's opera cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen.[3][4] Menzies named the species he described after Alberich's companions in the mythodology. The specific name fafniri is derived from Fafnir.[3]
Description
Choerophryne fafniri is a comparatively large species: six unsexed individuals in the type series measure 21.0–22.2 mm (0.83–0.87 in) in snout–urostyle length.[3] Later examination of five of these has revealed them to be males measuring 21.0–23.1 mm (0.83–0.91 in) in snout–vent length.[5] It is very similar to Choerophryne darlingtoni. The flanks and belly are orange to dark red and heavily blotched with brown. There are usually vague lumbar ocelli.[3]
The male advertisement call has been described as a "slow buzz". Note length is comparatively long at about 650 ms. Pulse rate starts slow, then increases abruptly, before slowing again.[3]
Habitat and conservation
Choerophryne fafniri lives in mid-altitude montane rainforest at an elevation of about 2,400 m (7,900 ft) above sea level. It is locally common. No major threats to it are known, although selective logging is a possible threat.[1]